Dynamic feeding systems - Feeding Systems in Aquaculture

Dynamic feeding systems

Dynamic feeding systems go even further and use the feed loss to control the amount of feed to be delivered. In one system a collector for feed loss is placed inside the cage. When feeding starts, the pump takes the collected food lost from the previous feeding and pumps this through a pipe that delivers it to the top of the cage bag (Fig. 16.11). In this pipe circuit an infrared device detects eventually uneaten feed. If there are no feed particles left, the feeder starts to add a new portion of feed. The same procedure happens when starting the next feeding. The system follows the appetite of the fish in a dynamic way, with increasing appetite increasing the amount of feed and decreasing appetite decreasing the amount of feed. Such systems have no feed loss to the environment, and it is possible to get early warning of eventual abnormal behaviour of the fish.